Electoral Register

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration she has given to a change in the electoral law to provide for an automatic annual canvass of registration.

Michael Penning: I wrote to the Northern Ireland parties in February this year to consult them on the Government's proposals for changes to electoral registration in Northern Ireland following the Electoral Commission's November 2012 report on the register.
	As I set out in that letter, the Government do not believe that an annual canvass would be cost effective, relative to other registration activity. The reintroduction of an annual canvass would lead to an increase in the Northern Ireland Office budget of around 7% a year, as well as a corresponding increase to the costs of registration activity to local authorities in Northern Ireland.
	The Government does however feel that it would be appropriate to hold a full canvass during 2013 to ensure that as many people as possible are registered accurately before elections in 2014.

Bank Cards: Fees and Charges

Bob Blackman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects on the UK economy of the EU Commission's proposals to harmonise interchange rates across the EU;
	(2)  what response his Department has made to the EU Commission's proposals to harmonise interchange fees across the EU.

Sajid Javid: The European Commission is expected to publish a legislative proposal by summer 2013 to regulate multilateral interchange fees on card payments. The proposal will be accompanied by an impact assessment.
	The Government will make its own assessment of the legislative proposal once it is published.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether older people without a mortgage can qualify for the equity loan scheme that is part of the Help to Buy initiative.

Mark Prisk: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	This Government believes that housing and planning polices should reflect the wide range of circumstances and lifestyle choices relevant to older people today.
	All applicants for the Help to Buy equity loan scheme must take out a mortgage. This requirement is in place as the Homes and Communities Agency, which is delivering the programme on our behalf, is unable to act as a first charge lender.
	I appreciate this may mean that some older purchasers may not be able to access the scheme. However, we have made provisions for older people to access home ownership through the Older People Shared Ownership scheme.
	This scheme enables older people to purchase between a 25-75% share of a purpose built property from a registered provider on shared ownership terms. We recognise that, the household income for many older people is unlikely to rise significantly, therefore any purchaser who has purchased a maximum 75% share will not have to pay any rent on the unowned equity.
	We have also introduced measures to stimulate the development of more specialist housing options for older people. The Government has set up a new care and support housing fund, which will provide £300 million of capital funding to encourage providers to develop new specialist accommodation options for older and disabled people.

Mutual Societies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to incentivise the creation of mutual financial institutions.

Sajid Javid: The Government is strongly supportive of mutuals, and promoting diversity within financial services. The Department of Work and Pensions is currently running a project to modernise and develop the credit union sector, with the anticipation that they will be able to serve 1 million more people by 2019. Alongside this, HM Treasury has recently closed a consultation on whether to raise the maximum interest rate cap for credit unions from 2% to 3% per calendar month to enable credit unions to become sustainable. A response to this consultation will be issued shortly.
	The Government also published a consultation on the ‘Future of Building Societies’, earlier this year. The Government's intention is to ensure that building societies can continue to compete on a level playing field with banks, while retaining their distinctive low-risk business model.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department;
	(2)  what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended;
	(3)  if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by his Department since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were.

Sajid Javid: The introduction on new regulation by the Treasury is monitored through the six monthly Statement of New Regulation, when the regulation is in scope of One In Two Out. Since January 2013 the Statement of New Regulation has also included regulation which originates in the EU. Information on costs is recorded in Impact Assessments where there is a significant impact on business.
	New regulation with an impact on business is subject to a review clause, and a review of this regulation will be required by a date specified in each piece of legislation.
	The Treasury responds to any requests for regulation to be revoked on amended on a case by case basis.
	A table which provides a list of all Treasury regulation introduced since May 2010, whether it was subject to the One-in, One-out or One-in, Two-out rules will be placed in the Library of the House. Web links are provided to pages which explain what legislation the regulation amends or revokes and what the cost and benefits of the regulation is. It should be noted that the One-in, One-out rule began operating in January 2011, and was replaced by the One-in, Two-out rule in January 2013.

Social Security Benefits: East Renfrewshire

Jim Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in East Renfrewshire constituency were in receipt of (a) child benefit, (b) working families tax credits, (c) incapacity benefit, (d) disability living allowance and (e) income support in May (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013.

David Gauke: The information is as follows:
	(a) Information on the number of families benefiting from child benefit by parliamentary constituency is available in table 6 of the HMRC publication “Child Benefit—Geographical Statistics” for August of 2010, 2011 and 2012 at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/child-geog-stats.htm
	This information is not yet available for 2013.
	(b) Working family tax credit was abolished in March 2003 and replaced by child tax credits (CTC) and working tax credits (WTC).
	Information on the number of families benefiting from CTC and WTC is available for April and December of 2010, 2011, 2012 and April 2013. Statistics by parliamentary constituency are published in table 4 of the HMRC snapshot publication “Personal Tax Credits: Provisional Statistics—Geographical Statistics” at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/prov-geog-stats.htm
	(c) Information on the number of people in receipt of incapacity benefit in East Renfrewshire constituency, for the period May 2010, May 2011 and May 2012 is available at:
	http://83.244.183.180/100pc/ibsda/tabtool_ibsda.html
	(d) Information on the number of people in receipt of disability living allowance in East Renfrewshire constituency, for the period May 2010, May 2011 and May 2012 is available at:
	http://83.244.183.180/100pc/dla/tabtool_dla.html
	(e) Information on the number of people in receipt of income support in East Renfrewshire constituency, for the period May 2010, May 2011 and May 2012 is available at:
	http://83.244.183.180/100pc/is/tabtool_is.html
	With respect to parts (c) to (e):
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
	Information for May 2013 is not yet available.

Apprentices: Farriers

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2013, Official Report, column 257W, on apprentices, what steps he is taking to ensure that people with an offer of an apprenticeship provided through the National Farriery Training Association that was due to begin in autumn 2013 can start their farriery apprenticeship this year.

Matthew Hancock: Provision at the National Farriery Training Association has been suspended as a consequence of Ofsted's judgment that this was inadequate.
	I have asked the Skills Funding Agency to follow its intervention policy to deal to the issues raised by Ofsted. In addition, the agency is working closely with the Farrier's Registration Council and the National Farriery Training Association to put in place an alternative model of delivery that addresses the immediate concerns raised by Ofsted, and will allow apprentices to start in autumn 2013.
	Senior staff from the agency are meeting with the Chair of the Farrier's Registration Council to explore this model in the next few days.

Higher Education: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to address low student satisfaction rates in UK universities.

David Willetts: The Government's higher education reforms are designed to make universities more responsive to students' needs, to increase student choice and to improve information to students so they are able to choose a course and institution that best suits their needs and expectations. Universities that provide a better student experience will attract more students and be able to expand where they chose to do so.
	The Government supported National Study Survey (NSS) publishes the ratings of final year undergraduates across the UK. All English universities participate in the survey and the overall response rate is 67% (287,000 students in 2012). The 2012 survey showed that, nationally, 84% of English students were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of teaching and learning on their course, although there is a lower score for assessment and feedback of 71% in 2012.
	However there is no room for complacency, satisfaction rates can vary significantly between institutions and even within institutions in different subjects. We are encouraging universities to use NSS results and other sources of feedback from students to identify where they need to make improvements—to meet the challenge from Government and students to focus on improving the academic experience they offer.
	In addition, by introducing the new Key Information Set, we have made it easier for university applicants to access the latest NSS results alongside a range of other information for their subject area, to help inform their decision making. This is available via each university course page and the revised Unistats national comparison website:
	http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/

Higher Education: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will investigate the variations in teaching hours between undergraduate courses in UK universities.

David Willetts: Universities have to provide more information to students and prospective students than ever before. The Key Information Set provides 17 pieces of information on student satisfaction rates, employment outcomes, fees and accommodation costs. We wish to see universities supplement this with a wider range of clear information on, for example, contact hours, class sizes and who will provide the teaching. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is leading a multi-agency project (including the NUS) to provide additional guidance to higher education providers and students on these three areas, together with the use of student feedback.
	We are also making it easier for students to hold their institutions to account for delivering a high-quality student experience. QAA now include student representatives in all their review teams, and each review will take account of evidence from the institution's students in writing and/or through meetings. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator/OIA takes up and reviews student complaints where they cannot be resolved through institutions' own complaints procedures.

Innovation: Gender

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what plan his Department has to consider the European Commission report, She Figures 2012 on gender in research and innovation;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to respond to the European Commission report, She Figures 2012 in respect of England.

David Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) welcomes the European Commission's report on gender research and innovation, which highlights the continuing under-representation of women in both the public and private research sector. Although BIS has not been asked formally by the Commission to respond to the report, we will consider how best to make use of the data in developing the Department's policies in support of this issue.
	The STEM work force is vital to growth and the economy and our research base misses out when we are not drawing scientists from as wide a talent pool as possible. BIS is funding the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society to jointly run a STEM Diversity Programme to identify and remove barriers to joining STEM work force; improve retention and progression rates for people once they join the work force and widen the scope of diversity work from a previous focus on gender issues only, to cover all minority or disadvantaged groups.
	Also in January this year, Research Council UK (RCUK) set out the expectation that equality and diversity should be embedded at all levels and in all aspects of normal research practice. RCUK expects those in receipt of Research Council funding to provide evidence of ways in which equality and diversity issues are managed at both an institutional and departmental level. This will provide an incentive to universities to improve the impact of their diversity and equality policies, ensuring the work force reflects society, and makes best use of all the talents available to it.

Money Lenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to tackle loan sharks and illegal money lenders.

Jo Swinson: The Government established the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) for England and Wales in April 2012, following our consultation on ‘Empowering and Protecting Consumers’. Since its launch, the NTSB has continued to fund the delivery of Illegal Money Lending Teams in England and Wales, which were previously directly funded by BIS. As well as tackling and prosecuting loan sharks, the teams work with community partners to provide access to advice and support for victims. The NTSB reports to BIS on progress on a quarterly basis.
	In 2012/13, the teams either charged or had proceedings instituted against 44 individuals for offences which included illegal money lending. This resulted in 13 custodial sentences. In the same year, £120,000 in cash and an estimated £952,000 in assets were seized from loan sharks. In England over £100,000 of proceeds of crime money was re-invested within local communities to help spread the Stop Loan Sharks message.
	In Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities launched a month-long Stop Loan Sharks campaign in March 2013. The campaign urged the public to report suspected unlicensed lenders, and was supported through a variety of advertising including the radio, in buses and washroom panels.

Pension Funds: Shareholders

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to make it easier for small shareholders to question the way in which their pension investments are managed by firms.

Jo Swinson: Individuals often hold shares indirectly through an investment fund as part of a broader investment portfolio, or electronically through a broker or other intermediary.
	In these cases it is usually the fund or intermediary that has the right to attend, speak and vote at company meetings. However, it is possible for the fund or intermediary to nominate another party to exercise voting rights and that can include individual shareholders. Individual shareholders would have to request that their fund or intermediary delegates these rights to them and it is up to the particular fund or intermediary to decide whether to offer this service.
	The Government recently commissioned Professor John Kay to undertake an independent review of investment in UK equity markets. The review looked at the relationships between shareholders, the companies they invest in and the intermediaries and agents in the investment chain. Professor Kay published his final report in July 2012.
	The Government welcomed Professor Kay's report and, in response to one of Professor Kay's specific recommendations, committed to explore the most cost effective means for individuals to hold shares directly on an electronic register. The Government is now working to achieve this objective in the context of current EU policy proposals relating to central securities depositaries and securities law. The Government believes that future arrangements for investors to hold shares electronically should increase shareholder transparency and facilitate shareholders exercising their rights.

Science: Higher Education

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the success of steps taken by universities to recruit and retain female staff in clinical and medical STEM subjects;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage UK universities to recruit and retain female staff in clinical and medical STEM subjects.

David Willetts: The responsibility for staff equality matters rests with higher education institutions (HEIs), as the employers. In the annual Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Government encourages the sector to continue to address long standing equality issues, including more diverse representation at senior levels in HEIs.
	Higher education institutions receiving grant funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England also have to meet the requirements of the public sector equality duty in the Equality Act 2010 and advance equality of opportunity.
	The Athena SWAN Charter recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women working in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research. Membership is open to any university or research institution committed to the advancement of the careers of women in SET. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) provides some funding for Athena SWAN via the Royal Society as part of our science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) Diversity Programme.
	The Athena SWAN Charter exists to instigate real and continuing change for women and also their male colleagues. HEIs and individual departments have to demonstrate a commitment to improving working practices and also measure the impact these changes are having, and tackle areas where progress has not been as fast. The Charter is run by the Equality Challenge Unit, an independent higher education sector body, which provides higher education institutions with support on all equality matters and works directly with institutions to help them tackle under-representation among staff groups.
	BIS welcomes the announcement in April 2013, that Athena SWAN presented a record 68 awards to individual departments and higher education institutions (HEIs). 24% of submissions were from medical and dental schools and departments, and 29% of awards were to these disciplines. Last year this figure was just 9%. This increase will have been due, in part, to the action taken by the chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies. In July 2011 Dame Sally wrote to the Medical Schools Council, outlining her intention that all medical schools who wish to apply for National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres and Units funding need to have achieved an Athena SWAN Charter Silver Award.

Prosecutions

Jason McCartney: To ask the Attorney-General what measures the police and Crown Prosecution Service are taking to reduce the decision time in choosing to bring a prosecution forward.

Oliver Heald: The Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are working together to reduce the decision time in choosing to bring a prosecution forward by:
	Improving the arrangements for police officers seeking CPS charging decisions by providing a 24 hours, seven days per week service through CPS Direct, the CPS dedicated charging service: CPS commenced this work on 1 April 2013.
	Amending the Director's Guidance for Charging to allow the police to charge shoplifting offences where a not guilty plea is anticipated. Under these arrangements, the police are responsible for charging approximately 72% of all offences without reference to the CPS.
	Working with other criminal justice system agencies to embed and extend the use of digital working and to extend the range of circumstances in which specified proceedings may be prosecuted by the police. A best practice model has been developed for specified proceedings, which includes:
	encouraging more consistent use and expansion of Fixed Penalty Notices;
	replacing court summons with police postal charging;
	revising information to defendants to prevent unnecessary attendance at court;
	enabling CPS prosecutors to deal with contested cases only.
	Extending specified proceedings in this way will offer a simpler and more proportionate response to these high volume low-level offences. It will increase police discretion and mean the CPS can focus their resources on more serious and contested cases, where their, independence and specialist skills add most value.

Council Tax Benefits

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much each English local authority awarded in council tax benefit in 2011-12.

Mark Hoban: Council tax benefit expenditure for 2011-12 by local authority is in the table entitled "Tables showing benefit expenditure by country, region and local authority from 2000-01 to 2011-12" which can be accessed via the following URL:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure
	Note:
	The breakdown of CTB expenditure is based on a combination of statistical data and local authority subsidy returns. 2011-12 expenditure is currently based on initial subsidy returns (final audited returns will be analysed and published later this summer).

Housing Benefit

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure tenants in the social rented sector do not fall into arrears as a result of receiving direct payments.

Steve Webb: The Government is committed to supporting working-age recipients of housing benefit to make the transition to a single monthly direct payment of benefit.
	Landlords will be primarily responsible for collection of rent in the first instance and will be the first to contact tenants if any arrears accrue.
	The direct payment demonstration projects are testing how DWP and landlords can best support claimants to make their rent payments. They are already starting to show that a majority of tenants are confident in receiving their housing benefit straight into their bank account.
	We are working with the advice sector to ensure that claimants are able to access budgeting support services to help them to manage their money successfully, in preparation for universal credit. We will also have the option to make managed payments of rent to landlords for the minority of claimants who we assess to be at risk of not being able to manage direct payment effectively initially, enabling the provision of more extensive support over a longer period. Full guidance on alternative payment arrangements and budgeting support has been published on GOV.UK at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181400/personal-budgeting-support-guidance.pdf

Jobseeker's Allowance: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Glasgow East constituency and (b) Scotland have (i) received a sanction and (ii) received a sanction and disputed it in each of the last five years; and how many such claimants had a sanction overturned as a result of it being reconsidered or appealed in the last five years.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Glasgow East constituency and (b) Scotland have (i) received a sanction and (ii) received a sanction and disputed it in each of the last five years; and how many such claimants had a sanction overturned as a result of it being reconsidered or appealed in the last five years are given in the following tables:
	
		
			 Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants with a sanction applied by area and year(3), 1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 
			   Year(3) 
			 Area Action(2) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Scotland Jobcentre Plus Group(4) Sanction applied 28,330 35,290 42,230 40,620 22,050 
			 Glasgow East parliamentary constituency(5) Sanction applied 850 950 1,030 1,060 640 
		
	
	
		
			 Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanctioned claimants who asked for a reconsideration or appealed the original decision by area and year(3), 1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 
			   Year(3) 
			 Area Action(2) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Scotland Jobcentre Plus Group(4) Reconsidered 7,150 9,180 12,300 13,500 6,840 
			  Appealed 590 660 1,520 1,640 440 
			 Glasgow East parliamentary constituency(5) Reconsidered 180 270 320 340 190 
			  Appealed 20 30 70 70 20 
		
	
	
		
			 Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) sanctioned claimants where the original decision was overturned on reconsideration or appeal by area and year(3), 1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 
			   Year(3) 
			 Area Action(2) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Scotland Jobcentre Plus Group(4) Overturned—Reconsideration 3,680 5,100 7,770 9,010 3,750 
			  Overturned—Appeal 70 90 150 160 70 
			 Glasgow East parliamentary constituency(5) Overturned—Reconsideration 80 150 210 220 140 
			  Overturned—Appeal — — 10 10 — 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and will include individuals who have had more than one referral decision or the same decision in more than one year e.g. if an individual has a sanction applied and has also appealed a sanction then they will appear twice, "—"denotes nil or negligible. (2)Action: The number of sanctions applied is the number of varied(6), fixed length(7) and entitlement decision(8 )sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. The decision to apply a sanction can be overturned following reconsideration or appeal by the sector decision maker. (3)Year of Decision: The year in which the decision on the sanction referral, reconsideration or appeal was made. The year 2012 includes data only up to and including 31 May, which this is the latest data available for all geographical areas. (4)Jobcentre Plus Group: Formerly known as Jobcentre Plus Regions. Jobcentre Plus Groups were updated to reflect changes to the hierarchical structure of Jobcentre Plus implemented on 5 April 2011 from 11 regions to seven groups. (5)Parliamentary constituency: Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. Boundaries are as at the reference date. More information and a map can be found at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/maps/index.html Notes: (6 )Varied length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the adjudication officer who makes the decision. (7)Fixed length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a jobseeker's direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the adjudication officer's decision on a sanction question. (8)Entitlement decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to JSA depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the jobseeker's agreement (JSAg) is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of JSA will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database.

Offshore Industry: Safety

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average age is of offshore safety inspectors working in the new energy division of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mark Hoban: The average age of the inspectors, currently working in the Energy Division is 51.6 years.

Offshore Industry: Safety

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many surveys of safety inspectors in the (a) offshore safety division and (b) hazardous industries division were carried out by the Health and Safety Executive in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2011 and (vi) 2012; and if he will place copies of the results of each such inspection in the Library.

Mark Hoban: The performance of inspectors in the Health and Safety Executive's Hazardous Installations Directorate is formally reviewed and assessed twice a year via the staff appraisal process. The Health and Safety Executive also surveys all of its staff each year using the 'Civil Service People Survey'. The detailed information from both approaches is confidential and is not made publically available.

Offshore Industry: Safety

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many offshore safety inspectors were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 2007.

Mark Hoban: The number of offshore inspectors employed since 2007, is shown in the following table. The figures are full-time staffing equivalents.
	
		
			 As at April each year Number 
			 2007 112.6 
			 2008 111.8 
			 2009 103.3 
			 2010 95.0 
			 2011 103.3 
			 2012 104.4 
			 2013 109.1

Offshore Industry: Safety

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the retirement rate amongst offshore safety inspectors working in the Health and Safety Executive was in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what estimate has been made of the anticipated retirement rate of such staff in (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16.

Mark Hoban: The retirement rates for band 2 and 3 inspectors were as follows:
	
		
			 Full-time equivalents 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Retirements 8 7 4 
			 Average staff in post 95.7 99.8 101.6 
			 Rate (percentage) 8.4 7.0 3.9 
		
	
	It is difficult to estimate future retirement rates, as staff can continue to work as long as they are fit and able and they only have to give as little as one months notice before they retire.

Personal Independence Payment

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has considered any changes to the personal independence payment system to include a provision for earlier payments to those suffering from specified illnesses and conditions.

Esther McVey: Personal independence payment has been designed to provide support tailored to an individual’s personal circumstances. We do not think it right that we should have different rules for people purely on the basis of specific illnesses and conditions they have; labelling individuals by their impairments and making blanket decisions about benefit entitlement.
	However, there are fast-track procedures and processes for people who have a progressive disease and their death can be expected within six months. Such claimants will receive the enhanced rate of the daily living component without further assessment, paid from the date of their claim. They may also receive either rate of the mobility component if they satisfy the conditions of entitlement.

Social Security Benefits

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people his Department has stopped paying benefits to for having no right to be in the country for each of the past five years; and what the total amount of benefits claimed by these people was for each of the past five years.

Mark Hoban: The information you have requested is not held by the Department.
	Currently we check the nationality and immigration status of benefit claimants to ensure the benefit is paid properly and to prevent fraud. While this information is used, it is not recorded as part of the payment administrative systems.
	Looking forward, the Government is looking at ways to record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim to universal credit so that we have more robust management information about our claimants.

Social Security Benefits: Merseyside

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families in (a) Birkenhead constituency, (b) Wirral and (c) Liverpool City region will be affected by the benefit cap.

Mark Hoban: The number of households who we estimate will be affected by the benefit cap by:
	(a) Parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library; this will be updated to reflect new estimates.
	(b) Local authority area has been placed in the Library and can be found here:
	http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2013-0676/Local_Authority_breakdown_of_those_ affected_by_the_benefit_cap_final.doc
	(c) Liverpool city region, This area is a sum of the local authorities within, therefore can be found at the link above.
	The benefit cap is being applied through a phased implementation which commenced on 15 April 2013 in Bromley, Croydon, Enfield and Haringey. It will be introduced at a national level from 15 July 2013. Also, estimates assume that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. The Department is identifying and writing to all the households who are likely to be affected by the cap and we are offering advice and support through Jobcentre Plus, including, where appropriate, early access to the Work Programme before the cap is introduced.

State Retirement Pensions

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that people who contract out of additional elements of the state pension are not left worse off in retirement as a result of doing so.

Steve Webb: Occupational pension schemes that were contracted out of the state additional pension on a defined benefit (DB) basis between 1978 and 1997 are required to provide a scheme pension. That pension, as a minimum, must be a pension broadly equivalent to the state earnings-related pension scheme (SERPS), so should not leave those people worse off in retirement as a result of being contracted out.
	The requirements for contracting out on a DB basis were changed in April 1997, and schemes now have to satisfy an overall test, which was designed broadly to match the 1997 value of the state earning-related pension scheme (SERPS). This meant that the scheme pension must be broadly equivalent to or better than a pension based on 1/80th x average earnings in the last three years x years of service with a normal pension age of 65. From 1997, no state additional pension was earned if a person contracted out on a DB basis. But when the second state pension (S2P) was introduced in 2002, it became possible for a low to moderate earner to earn some state additional pension. Again, those who contracted out on a DB basis after 1997 should not be worse off in retirement as a result of doing so. Contracting out will cease for DB in 2016.
	Under contracting out on a defined contribution basis, which was abolished in April 2012, the contracting-out rebate rates (the reduction in the amount of national insurance paid by the individual and an age-related rebate paid to the scheme at the end of the tax year) were recommended and set based on the Government Actuary's best estimates about the expected cost of replacing the state additional pension given up through contracting-out. There was always a known risk that the reality would turn out to be different from the assumptions, and individuals chose to enter these terms on a voluntary basis accepting that risk. The Government does not plan to take any steps to adjust the state pension to take account of any worse than expected investment outcomes.

State Retirement Pensions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the decile amounts of the deduction from state pension made in respect of periods of contracted-out employment for (a) men and (b) women reaching state pension age in (i) the latest year for which figures are available and (ii) each of the previous five years.

Steve Webb: Comprehensive information about the amounts of the deduction from state pension made in respect of periods of contracted out employment are hot readily available from administrative data within the timescales available.
	The Department will publish this information in an ad hoc publication before summer recess.
	To estimate deductions in respect of periods of contracted-out employment for the purposes of the state pension reform the Department uses Pensim2 data. This is not a suitable data source for providing historical information.

Universal Credit

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist universal credit claimants who do not currently have bank accounts.

Steve Webb: The majority of claimants already use a bank or building society account to manage their money and will continue to be paid in this way under universal credit. Some claimants do not currently use a bank account and we are working with the advice sector to ensure that claimants have appropriate support to help them access and utilise appropriate financial services.
	We are also looking to support the development of accounts with built-in budgeting features, such as ‘jam jar’ accounts. We are consulting with financial providers across the private, social and third sectors, and considering the best ways to make these types of products more widely available.
	Where a claimant is unable to access, any other form of banking solution, we will have the ability to make universal credit payments into a Post Office card account or by Simple Payment.

Work Programme: Powys

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the Government's Work programme, how many referrals have been made to the scheme in Powys to date; and how many such referrals have found employment as a result of being on the scheme.

Mark Hoban: Information on the number of people that have been placed in to employment from the Work programme is not available.
	Statistics on the number of Work programme referrals and job outcomes by local authority can be found in the employment programmes section at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
	Follow the instructions to create the required tables:
	(1) In the Employment Programmes section select ‘Click here for statistics regarding the Work Programme’.
	(2) In the Benefit/Scheme section select ‘Work Programme: Cumulative figures’.
	(3) In the Analysis drop-down menu select either ‘Referrals (Thousands)’ or ‘Job Outcomes (Thousands)’.
	(4) In the Row drop-down menu select local authority.
	(5) In the Column drop-down menu select from a range of different variables for a cross-tabulation.
	(6) In the Subset drop-down menu there are a number of different variables available. If no subset is required, select ‘NONE’.
	(7) In the Date drop-down menu select the latest available date. For Work Programme data the latest available information is at July 2012

Developing Countries: Disability

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to ensure that a post-2015 development framework is inclusive of people with disability.

Justine Greening: The Prime Minister has been clear that we need to build on the Millennium Development Goals to reach the marginalised and most vulnerable—including people with disabilities, and has been working with the international community to shape a Post-2015 agenda that will deliver for people with disabilities, including in key areas such as education.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what initiatives she is supporting to streamline the licensing of new HIV medicines in developing countries.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government supports efforts to agree licenses with holders of patents for HIV medicines to help the development of new generic medicines and formulations. For example, the Medicines Patent Pool aims to enhance access to HIV medicines by simplifying the licensing process, providing manufacturers with a one-stop-shop for licences for patents that may be required to produce a new generic.
	The UK Government also supports efforts to strengthen processes for authorising and assuring the quality of HIV medicines in developing countries. This includes the Prequalification Programme managed by the World Health Organisation that verifies that HIV medicines (and other health commodities) meet quality standards.

Overseas Aid

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the potential role of UK business in helping her Department achieve its objectives overseas; and what steps her Department has taken to assist UK businesses overseas in achieving these objectives.

Justine Greening: We know that business, including UK business, has a crucial role to play in generating growth in developing countries by providing workers with jobs, poorer consumers with affordable and better quality goods and services, and governments with taxes that allow them to provide for their citizens' basic needs. UK companies have become highly competitive in the international development market, and have won a large percentage of DFID's competitively-tendered, centrally- procured contracts.
	Following my speech at the London Stock Exchange, DFID is working with the Confederation of British Industry to develop a Business Engagement Strategy to enhance the scope for business, including UK business, to contribute to DFID's economic development agenda. We are also working across Whitehall to better coordinate trade and investment in the countries we work in.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not introduced any regulations since May 2010, within the scope of the “one in one out” and “one in two out” procedures. Most secondary legislation introduced by the FCO takes the form of Orders in Council rather than regulations and typically deals with matters such as the implementation of UN and EU sanctions and in the UK Overseas Territories (UK OT) and UK OT constitutional matters. Other FCO secondary legislation concerns either consular matters or the implementation of the UK's international obligations, for example in the fields of privileges and immunities of international organisations, international criminal law or the specification of EU treaties. These instruments do not regulate or impose costs on civil society organisations or business in the UK.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not introduced any regulations since May 2010, within the scope of the “one in one out” and “one in two out” procedures. Most secondary legislation introduced by the FCO takes the form of Orders in Council rather than regulations and typically deals with matters such as the implementation of UN and EU sanctions and in the UK Overseas Territories (UK OT) and UK OT constitutional matters. Other FCO secondary legislation concerns either consular matters or the implementation of the UK's international obligations, for example in the fields of privileges and immunities of international organisations, international criminal law or the specification of EU treaties. These instruments do not regulate or impose costs on civil society organisations or business in the UK.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by his Department since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not introduced any regulations since May 2010, within the scope of the “one in one out” and “one in two out” procedures. Most secondary legislation introduced by the FCO takes the form of Orders in Council rather than regulations and typically deals with matters such as the implementation of UN and EU sanctions and in the UK Overseas Territories (UK OT) and UK OT constitutional matters. Other FCO secondary legislation concerns either consular matters or the implementation of the UK's international obligations, for example in the fields of privileges and immunities of international organisations, international criminal law or the specification of EU treaties. These instruments do not regulate or impose costs on civil society organisations or business in the UK.

Shaker Aamer

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Prime Minister will discuss with the US President the diplomatic efforts to release Mr Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo Bay.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government continues to make clear to the US that we want Mr Aamer released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency. The US Secretaries of Defense and State have the authority to affect Mr Aamer's release and return. Our efforts have therefore focussed on these departments as the most relevant parties. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised Mr Aamer's case numerous times with Secretary Clinton, and reiterated the British Government's commitment to securing his release and return on two separate occasions to her successor, Secretary Kerry, in May. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), also raised Mr Aamer's case with his US counterpart earlier this month. I raised Mr Aamer's case with US Deputy Secretary of State Bums during a visit to Washington in April, and senior officials continue to meet their US counterparts for discussions about Mr Aamer.

Agriculture: Rain

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to protect farmers from the economic consequences of the anticipated high levels of rainfall in summer 2013.

David Heath: Following the recent adverse weather, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), hosted a meeting of industry representatives, farming charities and banks to highlight the financial impact this exceptional weather is having on farm businesses and to see what more can be done to support farmers who are struggling financially. The meeting was very constructive; the Government acknowledged the strength of support for farmers from the banking sector and the same representatives will meet again in July. In the meantime, we have set up a working group to look at identifying risks and improving resilience of the farming industry.
	DEFRA is investing £533 million in 2013-14 in flood and coastal erosion risk management through the Environment Agency. This will be spent on maintaining and improving defences and reducing the risk of flooding to home and commercial assets including farmland.
	The Environment Agency's (EA's) ongoing asset maintenance programme provides substantial benefits for agricultural land by reducing the risk of flooding from main rivers and the sea. More than 98% of EA maintained flood defence assets, protecting high consequence systems, are in the required target condition. These high consequence systems help protect approximately 50% of the agricultural land in England that is at risk of flooding from main rivers and the sea, including the vast majority of the most productive Grade 1 and 2 land. The other 50% of agricultural land at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea is protected by defences in what the EA describe as low and medium consequence systems, where more than 95% of agency-managed assets are in target condition. Farmland will also benefit from capital improvement projects. For example, in 2011-12 DEFRA funded projects provided an improved standard of flood protection to more than 180,000 acres of farm land.

Biofuels

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the development of biofuels competing with food production.

David Heath: The Government believes that food production must remain the primary goal of agriculture and the production of biofuel must not undermine food security, in the UK or internationally. Modelling analysis published as part of the Bioenergy Strategy suggests that increased EU demand for biofuels has led to global crop prices being around 3% to 5% higher than they would otherwise have been and that this would correspond to only a modest rise in food prices, since crops represent a small share of the cost of food production. As set out in that strategy, it is nevertheless essential that we continue to monitor the volume and all types of bioenergy demand and their links with food prices and production. To this end, we will continue to work with the European Commission in its ongoing evaluation of the economic, social and environmental impacts of the EU’s biofuels policies.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the adequacy of testing arrangements for tuberculosis in cattle; and what steps he is taking to improve those arrangements.

David Heath: holding answer 15 May 2013
	The Government is committed to ensuring we have a comprehensive and balanced package of measures to tackle TB, with eradication as our ultimate long-term goal. We already have a robust set of measures in place to tackle transmission between cattle—including compulsory testing, slaughter of infected animals and movement restrictions on infected herds.
	Surveillance testing is assessed annually to review the adequateness of testing frequency. Latest changes were introduced in January 2013 when large parts of England moved to annual testing and radial testing around breakdowns. This was introduced in the low risk areas, to ensure that the disease does not establish in clean areas.
	Underpinning the successful delivery of the Eradication Programme is the role of the farming industry and individual farmers, working in partnership with vets, Government and others. Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) manages the regulation that sets TB test controls to defined policy requirements. Recent changes have been made to further enhance veterinary TB test quality assurance controls, strengthening procedural instructions and sanctions to meet European standards of governance.
	DEFRA is currently undertaking a review of the use of the interferon gamma blood test, which is used to supplement the skin test for bovine TB under certain circumstances. The outcome of this review will be published later in the year.
	DEFRA has also recently commissioned a research project to assess slaughterhouse surveillance which forms an important part of cattle controls.

Bread and Flour Regulations 1998

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the costings contained in the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 Consultation Impact Assessment, what the costs would be to the (a) quarrying, (b) manufacture and (c) distribution industries of his proposals.

David Heath: During DEFRA's recent consultation on the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998, representations were received from operators within the industries referred to by the hon. Member. These built upon the information contained in the impact assessment on the costs of the various options to each of the sectors concerned. The Government is committed to ensuring that any policy decisions on the future of those regulations will take into account the effects on those industries, as well as health impacts and the interests of consumers. The Government intends to announce its decision before the summer recess.

Packaging

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to reduce the environmental effects of packaging of products in the food and drink sector.

Richard Benyon: Significant achievements on packaging in the food and drink sector have been made during the first two phases of the Courtauld Commitment, the voluntary responsibility deal with food retailers and manufacturers. To date, 2.3 million tonnes of waste have successfully been prevented by Courtauld signatories and consumers.
	A third phase of the Courtauld Commitment was launched on 9 May. This latest phase, which runs until December 2015, aims to prevent a further 1.1 million tonnes of waste. It has attracted 45 signatories, including all major grocery retailers and many household brands and manufacturers. This shows the grocery industry's commitment to reducing food and drink waste, for the benefit of both the environment and the economy.
	There are now limited opportunities for more substantial reductions without resulting in product damage due to under-packaging. Our analysis shows that without Courtauld 3 there could have been a 3% increase in greenhouse gas emissions from food packaging as sales volumes increase. The environmental impact of food waste due to under-packaging is greater than the packaging itself.
	Under Courtauld 3 there will be greater focus on designing packaging for recycling and increasing recycled content, where appropriate. Examples are designing and labelling packaging to make it easier for consumers to recycle, by specifying recycled content where appropriate, and continuing to optimise packaging while ensuring there is no compromise on product protection.
	The Hospitality and Food Service Agreement, a voluntary agreement between the UK, devolved Administrations and the hospitality and food service sector (which includes restaurants, hotels, caterers and pubs) also aims to reduce food and packaging waste.
	155 companies have signed up to two targets under the agreement. The first of these is to reduce food and associated packaging waste arising by 5% by the end of 2015. This is against a 2012 baseline and will be measured by CO2 equivalent emissions. The second is to increase the overall rate of food and packaging waste being recycled, composted or sent to anaerobic digestion to at least 70% by the end of 2015.
	The Government has also set higher packaging recycling targets for business for 2013-17.

Refrigerators: Pollution Control

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support his Department is giving to the Consumer Goods Forum initiative to phase out fluorine in refrigeration units.

Richard Benyon: We are aware of the Consumer Goods Forum's commitment to start phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in new refrigeration equipment from 2015. It is encouraging to hear that large consumer goods manufacturers and retailers are taking steps to address their .use of HFC refrigerants and are looking for ways to introduce alternative systems to replace HFCs. Officials have met with members of the Consumer Goods Forum to discuss the initiative and understand more about the strategies they are adopting to achieve their objectives. We believe this is a useful example of how voluntary agreements can help deliver a reduction in HFC use in certain refrigeration systems.

Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to improve the welfare of animals slaughtered without stunning.

David Heath: The Government would prefer to see all animals stunned before slaughter but recognises the right of members of religious communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. The Government has therefore confirmed that it does not intend to ban religious slaughter without stunning at this stage. Nonetheless, it intends to continue discussions on possible further improvements in animal welfare with members of the Jewish and Muslim communities once the new EU Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing has been implemented.

Immigration Controls

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for sponsor licences have been received in each of the last 24 months.

Mark Harper: The following table lists the number of sponsor licence applications received each month from 1 May 2011 to 30 April 2013:
	
		
			  Total applications received 
			 2011  
			 May 744 
			 June 835 
			 July 786 
			 August 812 
			 September 799 
			 October 755 
			 November 751 
			 December 605 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 699 
			 February 743 
			 March 750 
			 April 569 
			 May 651 
			 June 548 
			 July 631 
			 August 682 
			 September 669 
			 October 750 
			 November 686 
			 December 530 
			   
			 2013  
			 January 762 
			 February 628 
			 March 697 
		
	
	
		
			 April 718 
			 Notes: 1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figure relates to sponsorship licence applications from employers and educational institutions. 3. Figure relates to applications logged in the period from 1 May 2011 to 30 April 2012. 4. 4Figures may include additional sub tier applications from employers and educational institutions seeking to extend the remit of existing licences.

Surveillance

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases powers under the Regulations of Powers Act 2000 have been used for investigating non-serious crimes in each year since 2000; and what definition her Department uses for a serious crime under the Act.

James Brokenshire: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ('RIPA') defines 'serious crime' in section 81(3) as an offence which if committed by someone aged 21 or over with no previous convictions would reasonably attract a prison sentence of three years or more, or an offence which involves the use of violence, results in financial gain or is conduct by a large number of people in pursuit of a common purpose. A breakdown on the use of RIPA in serious crime cases is not available centrally. General statistics on RIPA use are published each year by the independent Chief Surveillance Commissioner, the Interception of Communications Commissioner and the Intelligence Services Commissioner, copies of which are in the House Library.

Tickets: Fraud

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints of ticket fraud received by Action Fraud (a) were issued a crime reference number, (b) were categorised as crime-related, (c) were investigated and (d) resulted in a conviction in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Browne: Action Fraud started recording specific reports of ticket fraud in January 2012. Prior to that reports were included in a more general category of fraud. The service issues crime reference numbers for both crime reports and information (crime related) reports. Action Fraud (a) issued crime reference numbers to 3,217 reports in 2012 and 1,373 from January to April 2013 (b) took 55 information (crime related) reports in 2012 and 19 reports from January to April 2013. No central record is held of how many cases reported to Action Fraud are subsequently investigated (c). Conviction data, held by the Ministry of Justice, records convictions for “fraud and forgery” and cannot be disaggregated further (d).

European Union: Citizenship

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support she plans to give to the 2014 to 2020 Europe for Citizens programme.

Hugh Robertson: The EU's 2014-20 Europe for Citizens Programme—an extension of this long-running programme—will enable local UK organisations to bid for funds to support civic participation, such as town-twinning and remembrance activities, including for the Holocaust. As an article 352 measure under the European Union Act 2011 the extended programme must be approved by an Act of the UK Parliament before a UK Minister can support it in Brussels. The programme requires unanimous support from all European Union member states to be taken forward. The Government intends to recommend to Parliament that it approve the programme.

Sign Language

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the equality of access available for deaf people whose first language is British Sign Language in terms of communicating with (a) cultural, media, sporting and business organisations and (b) the agencies and public bodies for which she is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: We recognise the importance of removing the barriers deaf people face in accessing services. The Equality Act 2010 provides the protection which ensures disabled people can access goods, facilities and services, by requiring those with duties under the Act, including Government Departments, to make a reasonable adjustment so that their services and functions are accessible. For example, installing perimeter loops in museum galleries.
	We also recognise that technology has a vital role to play in assisting disabled people to access information, advice and services especially as public services increasingly go online. That is why DCMS is encouraging organisations to explore how they can meet the needs of BSL customers, through developing a mix of accessible contact strategies for their disabled and older customers via e-mail, SMS, instant messenger, text relay and Video Relay Services (VRS). This will assist many people who are deaf and hearing impaired.
	More generally, the cross-Government strategy 'Fulfilling Potential' aims to make sure that all people, whatever their impairment, have the opportunity to receive a good education, obtain employment, access services and live as fully engaged members of a modern society in every aspect of day to day life.

Tenancy Deposit Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to make tenants aware of deposit protection schemes.

Mark Prisk: It is a requirement of my Department's service concession agreements with the tenancy deposit protection scheme providers that they carry out publicity and marketing activities, aimed at tenants as well as landlords. There will be increased publicity following the recent launch of two new schemes in April this year, both from the new schemes in order to attract members, but also from the existing schemes in light of the additional competition.
	There is also guidance for both landlords and tenants on tenancy deposit protection on the government's website gov.uk

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on discussions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation on carbon emissions.

Simon Burns: The Government remains committed to tackling the climate change impacts of international aviation at a global level and will continue to work through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to push for an ambitious global agreement on measures to address emissions from this sector at this year's General Assembly (24 September-4 October).
	Since December 2012 the UK has actively participated in the ICAO High Level Group on Climate Change which has met three times so far. The High Level Group has sought to resolve some of the long standing issues which have blocked progress in ICAO in the past. The discussions have been relatively constructive to date and we are hopeful that new text on addressing aviation emissions through a basket of measures, including market based measures will be adopted at the General Assembly.

Cycling

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government is taking to encourage commuters to cycle to work.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport actively encourages sustainable travel including cycling to work. The Cycle to Work Scheme provides tax incentives to help employees purchase bicycles and equipment. Alongside this, we work in partnership with Business in the Community, Transport for London, British Cycling and the Cycle to Work Alliance through the website 'Businesscycle'. The aim is to increase cycling for work and commuting purposes.
	We have also made available £14.5m to the Cycle Rail Working Group to improve cycle facilities at railway stations. Improvement projects will not only make it safer and more convenient for people to park their bike at the station but will encourage cycling for the onward journey from the station with new cycle hire schemes. This helps support the Department's recently published Door to Door Strategy which encourages use of sustainable transport for the whole journey.

Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding (a) his Department and (b) each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible has allocated to the London Borough of Havering in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The most recent data available for total public expenditure on transport is given in HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses for 2011/12.
	Identifiable expenditure on transport in the London region for the last 5 years is reproduced below. Equivalent data is not available below regional level.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  National Statistics 
			  Outturn 
			 Transport: 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 London 4,756 4,621 5,801 5,207 5,282 
			 Of which: current      
			 London 2,445 1,822 2,219 1,864 1,857 
			 Of which: capital      
			 London 2,311 2,800 3,582 3,343 3,425

Polyisobutene

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) cause and (b) source of the recent polyisobutene pollution incidents was.

Stephen Hammond: Officials at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are analysing data that shows which vessels transited the area where it is estimated that the discharges could have taken place. That may help to determine the source of the pollution and allow further investigation to assess whether the discharge was permissible or whether there may be a case to take action against an unlawful discharge.

Railways: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that Romford station will be served by National Rail fast trains into London Liverpool Street and Essex once existing Metro services are replaced by Crossrail services.

Simon Burns: It is expected that Romford station will continue to be served by National Rail fast trains into London Liverpool Street and Essex once metro services are transferred to Crossrail.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended.

Stephen Hammond: The One in One out rule was introduced in September 2010 and applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2011. One in Two out replaced this rule and has applied to regulations introduced since January 2013. The Statement of New Regulation published every six months lists regulatory changes that are subject to the One in One out/One in Two out rule. This includes the introduction of new regulations and amendments and revocations of existing regulations. The following regulations that were listed on the statements have been introduced.
	
		
			 Title Number In Force 
			 Airport Bylaws (Designation) Order 2011 2011 No. 828 13 April 2011 
			 Aerodromes (Designation) (Detention and Sale of Aircraft) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Order2011 2011 No. 832 13 April 2011 
			 Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 1771 1 August 2011 
			 Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 2324 18 October 2011 
			 Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 1885 24 October 2011 
			 Goods Vehicles (Community Licences) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 2633 4 December 2011 
			 Public Service Vehicles (Community Licences) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 2634 4 December 2011 
			 Road Transport Operator Regulations 2011 2011 No. 2632 4 December 2011 
			 Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2011 2011 No. 2675 1 December 2011 
			 M25 Motorway (Junctions 2 to 3) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 104 10 February 2012 
			 Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 308 1 April 2012 
			 Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 977 20 April 2012 
		
	
	
		
			 M62 Motorway (Junctions 25 to 30) (Actively Managed Hard Shoulder and Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 1865 20 August 2012 
			 The Port Security (Port of Aberdeen) Designation Order 2012 2012 No. 2607 19 November 2012 
			 The Port Security (Port of Workington) Designation Order 2012 2012 No. 2611 19 November 2012 
			 The Port Security (Port of Grangemouth) Designation Order 2012 2012 No. 2608 19 November 2012 
			 The Port Security (Port of Tees and Hartlepool) Designation Order 2012 2012 No. 2610 19 November 2012 
			 The Port Security (Port of Portland) Designation Order 2012 2012 No. 2609 19 November 2012 
			 Motor Vehicles (Tests) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 2652 18 November 2012 
			 Motor Fuel (Road Vehicle and Mobile Machinery) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Regulations 2012 2012 No. 3030 1 January 2013 
			 Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Passengers by Sea) Regulations 2012 2012 No. 3152 31 December 2012 
			 Public Bodies (Abolition of the Railway Heritage Committee) Order 2013 2013 No. 64 29 October 2013 
			 Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 258 8 March 2013 
			 Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 1013 1 June 2013 
			 Road Vehicles (Testing) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 271 20 March 2013 
			 Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) (Exemptions) Order 2013 2013 No. 339 1 April 2013 
			 Channel Tunnel (Safety) (Amendment) Order 2013 2013 No. 407 (1)— 
			 Merchant Shipping (Passengers' Rights) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 425 27 March 2013 
			 Operation of Air Services in the Community (Pricing etc.) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 486 5 April 2013 
			 Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2013 2013 No. 816 (1)— 
			 Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 950 1 June 2013 
			 Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport (Exemptions) Regulations 2013 2013 No. 228 21 May 2013 
			 (1) Come into force in accordance with article 1 in the regulations.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by his Department since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were.

Stephen Hammond: All changes to UK regulation in scope of the One in, One out and One in, Two out rules (i.e. those that impact on business and civil society organisations) are listed, along with their estimated impact on business as validated by the independent Regulatory Policy Committee, on the Statements of New Regulation (SNRs). This includes the introduction of new regulations and amendments and revocations of existing regulations, divided up into six month periods (January to June and July to December each year). The answer to PQ155826 provides a list of titles of regulatory changes that have come into force. DFT’s SNRs are published on the website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-transport-statement-of-new-regulations
	The One in, One out rule was introduced on 1 September 2010 and applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2011. One in, Two out replaced the One in, One out rule and has applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2013.
	As well as being collated in the SNR, information on the costs and benefits of the regulations we introduce is assessed and recorded in impact assessments (IAs) which are published alongside the regulations on the following website:
	www.legislation.gov.uk

Energy: Disconnections

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of households in the UK who have been disconnected by their gas supplier in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the number of households in the UK who have been disconnected by their electricity supplier in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem monitors and publishes information about disconnections of domestic electricity supplies (in its Domestic Supplies' Quarterly Debt and Disconnection reports:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Monitoring/SoObMonitor/Pages/SocObMonitor.aspx
	The following tables show the number of disconnections of domestic electricity and gas supplies due to debt during 12 month period of Q2 and Q1 of 2012, Q4 and Q3 of 2011, the latest figures to be published.
	
		
			 Disconnection of electricity supplies 
			 Quarter period Number of disconnections 
			 Q2 of 2012 138 
			 Q1 of 2012 26 
			 Q4 of 2011 83 
			 Q3 of 2011 419 
		
	
	
		
			 Disconnection of gas supplies 
			 Quarter period Number of disconnections 
			 Q2 of 2012 33 
			 Q1 of 2012 2 
			 Q4 of 2011 38 
			 Q3 of 2011 128

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the remit of the local energy assessment fund; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Local Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF) ran from December 2011 to March 2012.
	The project which provided £10 million grant funding to support 236 early stage community energy projects, covering energy efficiency, electricity and heat, is currently being evaluated. This independent evaluation is examining the outputs achieved through LEAF funding and distilling lessons learned, which can be shared with other community energy projects, and inform future policy in this area. We expect to publish in summer 2013.
	Initial feedback from LEAF-funded renewables projects has been used to inform the design of the forthcoming £15 million DEFRA/DECC rural renewable energy fund (for England). This is due to be launched shortly.

Travel

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses in each of the last five years; what the total cost was of such claims; and what the monetary value was of the 20 highest subsistence claims in each such year.

Gregory Barker: Neither the Department of Energy and Climate Change nor its non-departmental public bodies keeps a central record of the number of individual staff claiming travel and subsistence.
	We are able to provide the number and value of claims recorded from 2008-13, as shown in the following table for (a) core-DECC and (b) DECC's NDPBs (excluding the Committee on Climate Change).
	
		
			  Core DECC NDPBs(1) 
			 Period Total claims (number) Amount (£000) "Top 20" (£000) Total claims (number) Amount (£000) "Top 20" (£000) 
			 2008-09 249 18 10 670 1,983 44 
			 2009-10 392 68 29 774 1,786 38 
			 2010-11 336 46 19 784 1,566 23 
			 2011-12 327 35 15 962 1,922 40 
			 2012-13 697 151 43 1,101 1,856 36 
			 (1) NDPBs' Total number of claims and “Top 20” relate to NDA and CNPA only. 
		
	
	The Committee on Climate Change's travel and subsistence data are published in their .Annual Reports as follows:
	2009-10—(page 45)
	http://archive.theccc.org.uk/aws2/Annual%20Report/CCC-AnnualReport-2010-web.pdf
	2010-11
	http://archive.theccc.org.uk/aws2/Annual%20Report%20&%20Accounts%202011/1427_CCC-AnnualReport-2010_6_bookmarks.pdf
	2011-12—(page 40)
	http://archive.theccc.org.uk/aws/corporate%202012/CCC_Annual%20Report%202012_Final.pdf
	2012-13
	Not yet available.

Armed Forces: Disciplinary Proceedings

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 613W, on armed forces: disciplinary proceedings, 
	(1)  of the appeals against both finding and punishment, how many have resulted in the (a) finding being changed and (b) sentence being changed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  of the appeals against punishments, how many have resulted in the punishment being (a) altered and (b) quashed; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The requested further breakdown of the data is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			  Appeals against finding and punishment Finding quashed Punishment only changed 
			 2005 120 39 23 
			 2006 98 37 13 
			 2007 91 25 10 
			 2008 68 21 3 
			 2009 47 14 4 
			 2010 20 7 3 
			 2011 31 11 2 
			 2012 32 15 7 
		
	
	
		
			  Appeals against punishment only Punishment changed Punishment quashed 
			 2005 192 81 11 
			 2006 127 57 3 
			 2007 88 44 2 
			 2008 53 27 3 
			 2009 85 33 1 
			 2010 85 50 6 
			 2011 86 49 6 
			 2012 65 42 4 
		
	
	In the course of preparing this answer, some inaccuracies have emerged. I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois), gave on 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 613W. In that table, two appeals dating from 2005 were omitted, and some data on outcomes was mis-categorised. A corrected version of the table is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Tri-Service Summary Hearing Appeals 2005-12 
			  Appeals against finding and punishment Appeals against punishment only Finding changed (ie quashed) Punishment changed (ie quashed or altered) 
			 2005 120 192 39 115 
			 2006 98 127 37 73 
			 2007 91 88 25 56 
			 2008 68 53 21 33 
			 2009 47 85 14 38 
			 2010 20 85 7 59 
			 2011 31 86 11 57 
			 2012 32 65 15 53

Armed Forces: Qualifications

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of service is before attaining level 2 qualifications in the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.

Andrew Robathan: The overall policy aim is that all personnel are qualified to level 2 within eight years. Where service personnel are engaged on an apprenticeship scheme they will achieve level 2 upon completion of their course. Some will enter the services already having achieved level 2 qualifications, but unless these form part of the entry requirement for their chosen specialist trade, this will not be recorded. This means that sufficient data to calculate an average length of service is not held.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended.

Andrew Robathan: The one-in, one-out rule was introduced on 1 September 2010 and applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2011. All Ministry of Defence (MOD) regulations are related to internal administration of defence.
	The one-in, two-out rule replaced the one-in, one-out rule and applies to regulations introduced from 1 January 2013. All MOD regulations are related to internal administration of defence.
	Regulations introduced by month since May 2010 are as follows:
	May 2010
	The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Burghfield Byelaws 2010—SI 2010/249
	August 2010
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2010—SI 2010/1723
	November 2010
	The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (Isle of Man) Regulations 2010—SI 2010/2643
	The Reserve Forces Appeal Tribunals (Isle of Man) Rules 2010—SI 2010/2644
	The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2010—SI 2010/2475
	December 2010
	The Visiting Forces (Designation) Order 2010—SI 2010/2970
	February 2011
	The Armed Forces Redundancy Schemes 2006 and the Armed Forces Redundancy Etc. Schemes 2010 (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/208
	April 2011
	The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/811
	The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/235
	May 2011
	The Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Rights of Appeal) Regulations 2011—SI 2011/1240
	The Pensions Appeal Tribunals Act 1943 (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Time Limit for Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations 2011—SI 2011/1239
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011—SI 2011/517
	The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Trading Fund Order 2011—SI 2011/1330
	June 2011
	The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/1364
	July 2011
	The Armed Forces (Terms of Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2011—SI 2011/1523
	Harbours, Docks, Piers and Ferries—The Clyde Dockyard Port of Gareloch and Loch Long Order 2011—SI 2011/1680
	August 2011
	The Thetford Range Byelaws 2011—SI 2011/1142
	The Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011—SI 2011/1848
	October 2011
	The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/2282
	November 2011
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/2552
	January 2012
	The Armed Forces Redundancy Scheme 2006, The Armed Forces Redundancy Etc. Schemes 2010 And The Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (Amendment) Order 2011—SI 2011/3013
	April 2012
	The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No. 1, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) Order 2012—SI 2012/669 (C.15)
	The Ministry of Defence Police (Performance) Regulations 2012—SI 2012/808
	The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2012—SI 2012/670
	The Northwood Headquarters Byelaws 2011—SI 2011/3102
	June 2012
	The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels And Controlled Sites) Order 2012—SI 2012/1110
	July 2012
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2012—SI 2012/1573
	September 2012
	The Armed Forces (Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme and Further and Higher Education Commitment Scheme) Order 2012—SI 2012/1796
	The Ot Moor Range Byelaws 2012—SI 2012/1478
	October 2012
	The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Armed Forces) (Amendment) Order 2012—SI 2012/2505
	November 2012
	The Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order 2012—SI 2012/1750
	December 2012
	The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2) Order—SI 2012/2921 (C.116)
	The Armed Forces (Powers of Stop and Search, Search, Seizure and Retention) Order 2012—SI 2012/2919
	April 2013
	The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2013—SI 2013/784 (C.37)
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Consequential Provisions: Primary Legislation) Order 2013—SI 2013/796
	The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2013—SI 2013/241
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2013—SI 2013/436
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme (Consequential Provisions: Subordinate Legislation) Order 2013—SI 2013/591
	The Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme (Amendment) Order 2013—SI 2013/707
	The Caversfield SFA Byelaws 2012—SI 2012/3088
	The Visiting Forces (Designation) Order 2013—SI 2013/540
	None. However, please note that each Armed Forces Act (Continuation) Order remains in force for one year only and the byelaws replace earlier versions.
	None, although the instruments mentioned above may amend earlier orders.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions are placed on businesses who wish to advertise employment vacancies through the Career Transition Partnership.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 16 May 2013
	The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) welcomes employment vacancy advertisements from organisations in which the skills and experience of service leavers are recognised as a good fit for their work force. However, to ensure the integrity and quality of vacancies offered, the CTP does not encourage advertisements from recruitment agencies or employment 'broker' organisations.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policies led by his Department are in place to provide veterans with employment opportunities on leaving the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 16 May 2013
	Prior to leaving, all service personnel are entitled to resettlement assistance consisting of time, money and training according to length of service. Those who have served six years or more, and all those medically discharged regardless of how long served, are entitled to the full resettlement programme, which includes:
	a three-day career transition workshop;
	use of a career consultant;
	a job finding service;
	re-training time; and
	a re-training grant.
	Those who have served four years or more are entitled to employment support in the form of a bespoke job finding service and career interview. Resettlement services are provided by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), a partnering arrangement between Ministry of Defence and Right Management Limited.
	'Right Job' is the bespoke Career Transition Partnership's online job finding service, and it lists thousands of live vacancies which are updated on a daily basis. Right Job assists the service leaver in finding a job they believe is right for them, and enables employers to find qualified candidates who are leaving the armed forces. This service is free of charge to both service leavers and employers.
	Service leavers are entitled to lifetime job finding support through either the Officers Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association.

Veterans: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is available to those currently serving and preparing to leave the armed forces in order to prepare them to find civilian work.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 16 May 2013
	Training is an integral part of our broader efforts to help service personnel make the transition into civilian life.
	Service leavers may qualify for a resettlement training grant and government sponsored enhanced learning credits, to help towards the cost of nationally recognised qualifications.
	The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) provides a resettlement programme including up to 35 days retraining time and access to a wide range of accredited vocational training courses and workshops. The CTP service, including resettlement support, lasts for up to two years after individuals have left the armed forces.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will take steps to ensure that all accident and emergency units have at least 10 consultants assigned to them;
	(2)  what guidance he gives to accident and emergency units on ensuring that staff are not overworked.

Anna Soubry: National health service bodies are responsible for considering what staffing levels are necessary and appropriate within their organisations, as well as the health and well-being of their staff. Therefore, the Department has not issued any central guidance on these issues.
	NHS England's Urgent and Emergency Care Review, led by Sir Bruce Keogh, is taking a holistic look at the complex issues surrounding care delivery in this area. The Review, which is benefiting from the input of a wide range of experts, is tasked with making recommendations to ensure that urgent and emergency care is provided in a safe, effective and sustainable way.
	One of the aims of the Review is to come to a consensus on options for organising and delivering urgent and emergency care, which will involve taking an evidence-based look at workforce and resourcing issues.
	Health Education England has also set up an expert group, working in close collaboration with the College of Emergency Medicine and other key stakeholders, to look at what more can be done to ensure there is sufficient medical workforce being trained for accident and emergency requirements. The advice of this group will help inform NHS England's Urgent and Emergency Care Review.

Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the World Health Organisation's update of 12 May 2013 on the coronavirus infection.

Anna Soubry: Based on the information in the World Health Organization's update of 12 May 2013, there is evidence of limited, non-sustained person-to-person transmission. The risk of novel coronavirus infection (nCoV) to United Kingdom residents in the UK remains very low. The risk to UK residents travelling to the middle east remains very low and does not warrant a change to current travel advice.
	The risk of coronavirus infection to residents of or recent visitors to the middle east who are investigated in the UK with an unexplained severe acute respiratory illness also remains very low, but warrants investigation for coronavirus infection.
	The risk of contacts of confirmed cases of nCoV infection is still generally considered to be low but emerging evidence suggests there may be specific circumstances where transmission can occur.

Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure hospitals are adequately prepared for any widespread outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Anna Soubry: National health service hospitals are well versed in dealing with infection prevention and control covering the protection of staff, patients and members of the public and the normal practice of good hand hygiene is effectively used to reduce the spread of infection as far as is practicable.
	Once laboratory confirmed cases have been identified, strict isolation and use of full personal protective equipment is recommended. Public Health England (PHE) has worked with the NHS to ensure contact tracing on all confirmed cases is undertaken to identify further possible cases and close contacts of confirmed cases are followed up for a period of 10 days since the date of last exposure to the index case.
	PHE continuously reviews and updates its guidance on novel coronavirus infections.

Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with other European governments on containing an outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Anna Soubry: Departmental officials and Public Health England are involved in discussions with the EU Health Security Committee, influenza section, on the subject of avian influenza A(H7N9) in China and novel coronavirus in Europe and the middle east. The purpose of these collaborations is to share recent developments and, based on international risk assessments, consider the health measures member states are taking at a national level to strengthen preparedness in case the two events develop further.

Derriford Hospital

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of never events at Derriford Hospital.

Daniel Poulter: The Department is aware of recent never events that have occurred at the Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. We understand the Trust has implemented a number of immediate actions to safeguard patients pending the outcome of the formal investigations.
	NHS England has established a Surgical Never Events Task Force to examine the reasons why there are still a relatively high proportion of never events related to the peri-operative environment being reported. The findings of the task force will inform further work to eradicate these incidents from the national health service. The taskforce will report to NHS England by the end of July.
	More widely, Professor Don Berwick is chairing the National Advisory Group on the Safety of Patients in England, which is exploring how to improve patient safety in the NHS in the wake of the Mid-Staffordshire Public Inquiry, and will also report in July.

Diabetes UK

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the contract between NHS IQ and Diabetes UK.

Anna Soubry: NHS Improving Quality is a joint venture between NHS England and the Department and is hosted by NHS England.
	NHS Improving Quality works with a number of key stakeholders including charities like Diabetes UK to ensure our work is aligned to patients and carers requirements. NHS England advises that NHS Improving Quality has no contract in place with Diabetes UK.

Eating Disorders: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been admitted to hospitals within Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust for (a) anorexia nervosa and (b) bulimia in each of the last five years.

Daniel Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Data for finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and London strategic health authority (the main provider for 2007-08 to 2011-12) is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Finished admission episodes(1) with a primary diagnosis(2) of (a) anorexia nervosa or (b) bulimia nervosa at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and London strategic health authority of main provider(3) for 2007-08 to 2011-12(4), activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust London strategic health authority of main provider 
			  Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa 
			 2007-08 * * 147 19 
			 2008-09 * * 138 15 
			 2009-10 * 0 215 26 
			 2010-11 * 0 182 23 
			 2011-12 * * 368 31 
			 * Denotes a suppressed number between 1 and 5. To protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been replaced with “*” (an asterisk). Where it was still possible to identify figures from the total, additional figures have been replaced with “*”. (1) A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2)Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (3)SHA of main provider This indicates the strategic health authority (SHA) area within which the organisation providing treatment was located. (4)Assessing growth through time (in-patients) HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Eating Disorders: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the prevalence of eating disorders among teenage men.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not collected centrally. A survey carried out on behalf of the Department and the Welsh and Scottish governments by the Office for National Statistics in 2004 found the prevalence of eating disorders in boys aged 11 to 16 to be 0.1% (compared to 0.6% for girls of the same age). The survey was published as ‘Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain’, 2004 (ONS 2005).
	For adults (aged 16 years and over) the most recent ‘Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey’, based on a survey by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Leicester in 2007, was published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in 2009. This was based on answers to a survey rather than on existing diagnoses. For eating disorders this is based on a set of questions on attitudes to eating and a separate question about whether feelings about food had a significant effect on everyday life. The survey found that 6.1% of men aged 16 to 24 (compared to 20.3% of women of the same age) had possible eating disorders and that this had a significant impact on the lives of 1.7% of men aged 16 to 24 (compared with 5.4% of women).

General Practitioners

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps GPs are taking to keep elderly, frail people out of hospital.

Daniel Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health recently announced that the Department will be developing, with NHS England, a plan for vulnerable older people. The plan will set out how general practice can best meet the needs of older people and those with long term conditions. This will include considering how best to ensure that older people are treated in the most appropriate setting.
	NHS England have advised that general practitioner practices are increasingly taking a more proactive, population based approach to care management and NHS England are working with clinical commissioning groups to embed their approach.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the provision of sexual health services in the London borough of Havering.

Anna Soubry: The Government’s ambition for sexual health is set out in its Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England published in March 2013. This makes clear the importance of good sexual health and well-being for people of all ages and across the life course. Each local authority will commission sexual health services based upon the needs of its community. The London borough of Havering will receive the following public health allocation, which also covers sexual health services, in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
	
		
			  £/% 
			 2013-14 opening baseline—historical spend (£) 8,030.000 
			 2013-14 opening target—what they should get based on ACRA formula (£) 10,355,000 
			 2013-14 increase based on historical spend plus growth(1) (%) 10 
			 2013-14 allocation—actual allocation 2013-14 (£) 8,833,000 
			 2014-15 allocation—actual allocation 2014-15 with 10% increase(1) (£) 9,717,000 
			 (1) 10% increase is the maximum any local authority will receive for 2013-14 and 2014-15.

HIV Infection

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason NHS England has withdrawn its BHIVA guidelines commissioning policy; and whether it intends to commission HIV treatment and services according to authoritative clinical guidelines.

Anna Soubry: We understand from NHS England that the British HIV Association guidelines are explicitly referred to in the service specification, which was recently consulted on and adopted by NHS England, and ,will be used to inform commissioning decisions relating to Human Immunodeficiency Virus treatment and services. The service specification is to be published on the NHS England website within the next few weeks.

Mental Health Services

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve training in mental health conditions and treatment amongst NHS staff.

Daniel Poulter: The standards of healthcare training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory bodies.
	Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, these organisations are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality health professionals and that healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice.
	From 1 April 2013 Health Education England (HEE) has responsibility for promoting high quality education and training that is responsive to the changing needs of patients and local communities and will work with stakeholders to influence training curricula as appropriate.
	HEE has announced the launch of a dementia awareness on-line training module through e-Learning For Healthcare. The module is intended to ensure that staff working in health and social care are able to recognise and understand dementia. Additional modules will help staff to answer questions about dementia. This is part of a wider educational strategy that is in development to support implementation of the National Dementia Strategy and the Prime Minister's challenge to deliver major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015.

Mental Health Services

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place in the NHS to encourage people with a mental illness to receive treatment.

Daniel Poulter: NHS England has advised that it aims to both identify and encourage people with mental ill health to seek treatment. Commissioning agencies should have in place systematic ways of assessing the needs of their patients in order to identify those who have a mental illness, or are at increased risk of developing one. Those identified can then be prioritised for outreach and early intervention.
	NHS England is also working with Public Health England and expert informatics partners to explore the use of both new technologies and community-based assertive outreach support involving families, communities and partner agencies. Work is also under way with Health Education England, clinical commissioning groups and the Academic Health Science Networks to explore ways of helping primary care staff to recognise and treat mental ill health early in primary care.
	NHS England is committed to exploring ways of making it easier for people to get the information they need about how to access care and support. This includes a commitment in NHS England's Business Plan to encourage use of modern media formats forms of information on self-help, self-management and available services for those members of the public wanting to access services for the first time. For those people already in services, there is a commitment to improve access to care plans including better information on what to do in a crisis.
	The introduction of NHS Health Check, for adults in England aged between 40 and 74, is also a proactive opportunity for people to seek information on health matters, including mental health.

NHS 111: South East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the 111 service in the south-east; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: There have been problems with the roll-out of NHS 111 in the south-east.
	A range of indicators are used to measure performance of providers, and a number of these have not been met in the south-east coast region of the NHS (there are a number of providers in the wider region as the south east is not a specific NHS area).
	We recognise that the service has not been good enough and we are working closely with NHS England to ensure improvement in performance. NHS England have put a number of measures in place already. NHS England area teams have been keeping a close oversight of the issues and are supporting local clinical commissioning groups and individual providers to ensure the service improves. NHS England has close monitoring arrangements, including where necessary daily, and also reports weekly on performance to the Secretary of State for Health. They will continue to do so until the key performance indicators are routinely met. We expect to see continued improved performance week on week into the summer.

NHS: Compensation

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many successful compensation claims made against the NHS referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis and (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many cases brought against the NHS Litigation Authority referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis and (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the cost was of successful compensation claims made against the NHS which referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis and (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not hold this data centrally, but it has been provided by the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHS LA), and is shown in the tables.
	The following points in relation to the data should be noted. The data shows the position at 31 March 2012; the data for 2012-13 is not yet available. The year refers to the year when the claim was made. Relevant claims were selected by searching for the keywords in the incident details on the NHS LA database. However a particular claim's data could possibly be duplicated, i.e. the incident could be identified by one or more referenced words. The amounts paid in a given year may include payments on settlements made in that year as well as payments made against settlements agreed in earlier years, for example where there are on-going annual payments.
	The information in the following table shows how many successful clinical negligence compensation claims against the NHS were made which referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis, (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
	
		
			  Number of successful compensation claims against the NHS which referenced 
			  2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 
			 Anticoagulation (1)— 8 4 5 4 
			 Warfarin 7 14 12 6 9 
			 Heparin 3 6 3 6 6 
			 Deep Vein Thrombosis 34 35 32 37 30 
			 'Pulmonary Embolism 14 18 23 20 18 
			 (1) Data for anticoagulation is not shown due to personal data protection reasons because it relates to a single anticoagulation claim and therefore it might be possible to identify the claimant from the data. Date: 15 May 2013 Source: NHS LA 
		
	
	The information in the following table shows the number of compensation cases brought against the NHS which referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis, (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
	
		
			  Number of compensation cases brought against the NHS which referenced 
			  2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 
			 Anticoagulation 10 9 7 6' 7 
			 Warfarin 19 17 16 11 14 
			 Heparin 8 12 5 7 9 
			 Deep Vein Thrombosis 95 59 51 42 46 
			 Pulmonary Embolism 35 29 30 28 28 
			 Date: 15 May 2013 Source: NHS LA 
		
	
	The information in the following table shows the cost of successful claims made against the NHS which referenced (a) anticoagulation, (b) warfarin, (c) heparin, (d) deep vein thrombosis, (e) pulmonary embolism in each of the last five years for. which figures are available.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Cost of successful compensation claims against the NHS which referenced 
			  2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 
			 Anticoagulation (1)— 1,703,661 441,425 1,011,800 622,408 
			 Warfarin 248,990 901,591 611,721 502,251 1,348,535 
			 Heparin 240,232 717,777 331,613 1,803,292 660,779 
			 Deep Vein Thrombosis 1,705,428 2,199,062 3,262,018 4,418,785 6,244,859 
			 Pulmonary Embolism 765,704 1,779,480 2,147,342 1,809,637 2,499,314 
			 (1) Data for anticoagulation is not shown due to personal data protection reasons because it relates to a single anticoagulation claim and therefore it might be possible to identify the claimant from the data. Date: 15 May 2013 Source: NHS LA

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Daniel Poulter: For each new regulation, the Department prepares an Impact Assessment, using guidance prepared by HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Where regulations have an impact on business, or seek to transpose European Union legislation into United Kingdom law, the Department seeks approval and validation from the Regulatory Policy Committee. Additionally, the impact of regulation within scope of the One-in/One-out and One-in, Two-out rules is independently verified and reported twice a year in the Statement of New Regulation.
	The Department has worked with Cabinet Office to review its regulations through two Red Tape Challenges (RTC). Between 9 March and 12 April 2012, the Department ran a RTC on medicines, which identified 215 regulations that would be merged, simplified or scrapped altogether.
	The Department ran a second RTC. between 6 November 2012 and 31 January 2013, to review over 500 regulations relating to public health, quality of care, mental health, the national health service and professional standards. The Department is still reviewing the responses to this challenge and will announce deregulatory proposals in October 2013.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended;
	(2)  if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by his Department since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were.

Daniel Poulter: Since January 2011, Whitehall Departments have been expected, under one in, one out (OIOO), to offset any increases in the cost of regulation by finding deregulatory measures of at least an equivalent value. This covered all regulation that came into force until December 2012. From January 2013, one in, two out (OITO) applies.
	The following table sets out the regulations that have been introduced under OIOO and OITO.
	
		
			 Title of the measure Came into force ‘In’ net cost (£ million) ‘Out’ net benefit (£ million) 
			 The Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regulations 2010 January 2011 1.78 — 
			 The Health Service Branded Medicines (Control of Prices and Supply of Information) Amendment Regulations 2010 January 2011 0.00 — 
			 Regulation of Sunbeds April 2011 7.50 — 
			 Amendments to the Primary Medical Services (Electronic Prescription Service Authorisation) Directions 2008 April 2011 0.00 — 
			 IR(ME)R Amendment Regulations 2011 October 2011 0.05 — 
			 Prohibition on the sale of tobacco from vending machines October 2011 9.80 — 
			 Three Year Rule for New Pharmacies October 2011 — 0.07 
			 Prohibition of the display of tobacco at point of sale April 2012 2.41 — 
			 Care Quality Commission registration June 2012 — 0.42 
			 Consolidation of UK Medicines . legislation June 2012 — 0.94 
			 Smoke free signs October 2012 — 0.07 
			 OIOO subtotal  21.54 1.50 
			 Medical Profession (Responsible Officers) Regs Language Skills April 2013 0.00 — 
			 OITO subtotal  0.00 0.00

Sodium Valproate

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issue regular caution in use warnings to general practitioners relating to the risks posed by taking sodium valproate during pregnancy.

Daniel Poulter: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have ensured that warnings about the potential for sodium valproate to cause birth defects in animals and possible related hazards to women of childbearing age have been in the product information available to healthcare professionals since the time of licensing in 1972.
	As new data have emerged the product information supplied to all doctors and the Patient Information Leaflets available with the medicine have been updated in a timely manner and in accordance with legal and regulatory guidance to reflect the known side effects including new information with regards to the safety of use during pregnancy.
	The MHRA is committed to carefully reviewing any new evidence of risk and informing healthcare professionals and patients about any changes to the way the product should be used through changes to the product information and patient information leaflets.
	Any new prescribing advice is also brought to the attention of prescribers in the monthly MHRA bulletin Drug Safety Update. The MHRA has issued three articles on the risks associated with the use of sodium valproate during pregnancy in Drug Safety Update and its predecessor, Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance and will continue to do so as new information emerges.
	The product information for all medicines containing sodium valproate contains detailed advice in relation to its use during pregnancy. It is currently advised that women of childbearing potential should not be started on sodium valproate unless clearly necessary (i.e. in situations where other treatments are ineffective or not tolerated).

Sorafenib

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability of the drug sorafenib in England.

Anna Soubry: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued technology appraisal guidance which does not recommend the use of sorafenib (Nexavar)for the first and second-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma, or for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
	In the absence of positive NICE technology appraisal guidance, national health service commissioners should make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient's clinical circumstances.
	Where a cancer drug is not routinely funded by the NHS, patients may be able to access it through the Cancer Drugs Fund. A number of patients have received funding for sorafenib through the fund.

Employment of Ex-offenders

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to assist ex-offenders into employment.

Jeremy Wright: We have already ensured that prison leavers aged over 18 who claim jobseeker's allowance on release or shortly afterwards are referred to the Work programme immediately. And we have introduced work in prisons on a much larger scale than before, providing offenders with real work experiences and helping to build their confidence about operating in the work place on release.
	Our Transforming Rehabilitation reforms will see new rehabilitation provider working to tackle the root causes of offending by using innovative approaches such as mentoring, and by signposting to services aimed at housing, training and employment.

Animal Welfare: Crime

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will introduce tougher sentences in cases of extreme cruelty to animals; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	The maximum penalty for those convicted of offences connected with animal cruelty is six months imprisonment, or a fine of £20,000, or both. It is for the courts to decide what the appropriate sentence is following a conviction. The magistrates court sentencing guidelines provide magistrates with guidance on suitable penalties for individual cases.

Crime: Victims

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will amend the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction report to include a section on the needs of victims and the prisoners' attitudes towards their victims.

Jeremy Wright: The Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) reports are based on a survey of prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in England and Wales in 2005 and 2006. The last interviews were conducted in 2010. Questions on the needs of victims were not asked, however, prisoners were asked whether they believed there was a victim of their offence. There are no plans to conduct another large-scale prisoner cohort study.
	Our consultation on a revised Victims’ Code, with an emphasis on providing clearer and stronger entitlements for victims, closed on 10 May. We are now considering the responses to consultation and are planning to respond to the consultation and publish the final version of the Code in the summer. MOJ has committed £50 million of annual funding since 2010 to victims' services. Through reforms to the Victim Surcharge and financial penalties, we have committed to raise up to a further £50 million for victims' services from offenders.

Parole

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many cases the Parole Board dealt with in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012;
	(2)  what the Parole Board case load was on 1 April (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The number of cases that the Parole dealt with in the following financial years was:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2008-09 28,596 
			 2009-10 24,204 
			 2010-11 25,566 
			 2011-12 26,414 
		
	
	The figure in respect of 2012-13 is not yet available and will be published in the Board's 2012-13 Annual Report.
	The Parole Board has not recorded the level of their caseload on 1 April of each of the years stated in the question.

Parole Board

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the Parole Board's budget is for (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16.

Jeremy Wright: The Parole Board's resource budget for 2013-14 is £10.85 million. Their budget allocations for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16 have yet to be finalised.

Prison Sentences

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prisoners serve the full length of their original sentence.

Jeremy Wright: All sentences are served in full. For the majority of offenders, this means serving part of their sentence in custody and part in the community. All release provisions are now contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 as amended.
	Prisoners must be released in accordance with the legislation laid down by Parliament. While there have been various changes to this over the years, Parliament has consistently maintained the view that custodial sentences should be served part in custody and part in the community.
	For determinate sentences of 12 months or more imposed on or after 3 December 2012 and those imposed before that date where the offence was committed on or after 4 April 2005, the first half of the sentence is served in custody and the second half is served on release on licence in the community to the end of the sentence. Release from sentences of less than 12 months is currently unconditional at the halfway point. The Offender Rehabilitation Bill changes this position.
	For determinate sentences or four years or more imposed before 3 December 2012 where the offence was committed prior to 4 April 2005, release is determined on the basis of risk by the Parole Board between the halfway and two-thirds point of the sentence. The offender is on licence from the point at which he is released until the three quarter point of sentence. In respect of sentences of less than four years, the offender will be released at the halfway point, on licence to three quarter point.
	For determinate sentences imposed before 1 October 1992, release is determined on the basis of risk by the Parole Board between the one-third and the two thirds point of the sentence. The offender is on licence from the point at which he is released until the two-thirds point. If parole is not granted, automatic release is unconditional at the two-thirds point.
	For indeterminate sentence prisoners, the sentencing judge with regard to the legislation and guidelines in place at the time and taking into account any aggravating and mitigating factors of the case will set a minimum term to be served. This punitive period is known commonly as the “tariff” period. No indeterminate sentence prisoner can expect to be released before they have served the tariff period in full. Release on expiry of the tariff period is not automatic. Release will only take place once this period has been served and the Parole Board is satisfied that the risk of harm the prisoner poses to the public is acceptable. As such, some life sentence prisoners remain in prison beyond their tariff as they are not considered to present an acceptable risk to the public. Whole life prisoners will spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Prisoners: Suicide

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many incidences of (a) suicide, (b) attempted suicide and (c) self-harming there were in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: All deaths in prison custody are subject to a coroner's
	inquest and it is for the coroner to determine the cause of death. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) classification system does not include suicide as this requires knowledge of intent, which is not always known. Within the NOMS classification system, suicides are included in self-inflicted deaths, which also includes deaths where the prisoner took their own life irrespective of intent.
	The number of apparent self-inflicted deaths for the last five years are provided in Table 1.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of apparent self-inflicted deaths in prison custody, England and Wales, 2008-12 
			  Number of apparent self-inflicted deaths 
			 2008 61 
			 2009 61 
			 2010 58 
			 2011 57 
			 2012 60 
		
	
	An attempted suicide will be recorded as a self-harm incident. As it is not always possible to know the intent of the person to attempt to take their own life the number of attempted suicides in prison is not available.
	The number of self-harm incidents between 2008 and 2012 is provided in Table 2. These will be higher than the number of individuals self-harming in prison custody as some individuals may self-harm more than once.
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of self-harm incidents in prison establishments, England and Wales, 2008-2012 
			  Number of self-harm incidents 
			 2008 25,234 
			 2009 24,184 
			 2010 26,979 
			 2011 24,648 
			 2012 23,158 
		
	
	Statistics on deaths, assaults and self-harm in prison custody are published quarterly in the Safety in Custody statistics bulletin available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody
	The latest publication with figures up to 2012 was published on 25 April 2013.

Prisons: Electronic Equipment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prison inmates have access to (a) television, (b) games consoles and (c) newspaper subscriptions.

Jeremy Wright: NOMS does not hold information on the proportion of prisoners who have access to television, games consoles or newspaper subscriptions. To obtain the information would involve contacting each prison and this would incur disproportionate cost.
	On 30 April 2013, we announced changes to the incentives and earned privileges (IEP) scheme, under which prisoners earn access to privileges, including TV, games consoles and newspapers. The changes, which will come into effect from 1 November 2013, will ensure that prisoners will now have to actively contribute to their own rehabilitation, help others and continue to behave well to earn privileges. Prisoners who refuse to work or engage in their own rehabilitation will not earn privileges. The revised IEP system will support what this Government is seeking to achieve in improving rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.
	Under the current IEP scheme, in-cell television is available to prisoners at the standard and enhanced levels of the scheme. In addition, television can be provided in other circumstances, such as within health care facilities or for those at risk of self-harm if judged to be appropriate. In both public and private sector prisons, in cell television is entirely self-financing; the money comes from payments made by prisoners.
	In the adult estate, access to games consoles is restricted to prisoners who are on the enhanced level of the IEP scheme. Each prison will have decided locally whether or not to offer access to games consoles as part of the local IEP scheme. All games consoles are purchased at prisoners’ own expense and no public funds must be used to purchase games consoles and equipment. 18 rated games are not permitted for any prisoner, no matter what their age is. Individual access to games consoles in the young people's estate is only available to those on the enhanced level of the rewards and sanctions scheme which operates in the same way as the IEP scheme in adult prisons. Young people may also access games consoles in communal areas. They are only permitted to purchase computer games and a games console for their own use and from a pre-determined list of approved consoles.
	Newspapers and periodicals may, at the discretion of each individual establishment, be purchased by prisoners through the use of local supplier agreements. Permitted publications should be comparable to those available to the general public, but must not compromise safety, security or decency.

Probation

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the cost of introducing competition to probation services under his plans for transferring rehabilitation;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of moving probation cases from the Probation Trust to a private sector provider on an occasion when the assessed risk of particular cases changes.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice's published “Transforming Rehabilitation: A Strategy for Reform” on 9 May that sets out the reforms for how offenders will be rehabilitated in the community. We are committed to opening up rehabilitative services to a range of new providers, who will be paid by results to help offenders turn their lives around.
	We anticipate that introducing competition to probation services will release efficiencies and drive down unit costs across the system. Our proposals are that the efficiencies released will enable us to extend the range of services provided. However, this will need to ensure our proposals will be affordable within the context of the MOJ commitment to deliver annual savings of over £2 billion by 2014-15.
	We have indicated that protecting the public is our top priority, and we are clear that management of the offenders who pose the highest risk of serious harm should remain with the public sector. It will then be for the public sector probation service to decide who manages that offender subsequently, but we do not anticipate large scale movement of offenders between providers, and so any associated costs would not be substantial.

Probation: Wiltshire

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of local initiatives for the provision of probation services including the formation of a staff spin-off mutual by Wiltshire Probation Trust.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice's published “Transforming Rehabilitation: A Strategy for Reform”; on 9 May that sets out the reforms for how offenders will be rehabilitated in the community. We are committed to opening up rehabilitative services to a range of new providers, who will be paid by results to help offenders turn their lives around. As a part of this we expect to see more use of innovative approaches, such as mentoring and signposting to services aimed at housing, training and employment, to tackle the root causes of offending.
	A number of Probation Trusts, including Wiltshire, have entered expressions of interest to gain support under the Cabinet Office's Mutuals Support Programme. The Secretary of State for Justice is not involved in that process as it would be improper given mutuals set up by the staff of Probation Trusts may be bidders in the competition process to provide rehabilitative services.

Remand in Custody

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many defendants were remanded into custody in England and Wales in each month between January 2008 and April 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The tables show the number of prisoners received into prison on remand in England and Wales in each month from January 2008 to December 2012. The figures provided are a further breakdown of those published in Table 1.2 of the 'Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletin' available on the:
	www.gov.uk
	website.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Remand receptions into prison establishments(1) by type of remand 2008-12 
			  Untried receptions, by month 2008-12, England and Wales 
			 Month 2008 2009 2010(2) 2011 2012 
			 January 4,879 4,454 — 4,408 4,264 
			 February 4,472 4,380 — 4,183 4,331 
			 March 4,512 4,790 — 4,615 4,436 
			 April 4,848 4,662 — 4,186 4,072 
			 May 4,830 4,592 — 4,691 4,262 
			 June 5,101 5,104 — 4,505 3,966 
			 July 5,437 5,056 — 4,552 4,486 
			 August 4,833 4,324 — 5,777 4,442 
		
	
	
		
			 September 5,068 4,967 — 4,712 4,112 
			 October 4,936 4,593 — 4,514 4,360 
			 November 4,620 4,597 — 4,515 4,047 
			 December 3,881 3,688 — 4,179 3,449 
			 All 57,417 55,207 — 54,837 50,227 
		
	
	
		
			  Convicted unsentenced receptions, 2008-2012, England and Wales 
			 Month 2008 2009 2010(2) 2011 2012 
			 January 3,886 3,295 — 2,990 3,047 
			 February 3,652 2,933 — 2,892 2,937 
			 March 3,323 3,181 — 3,284 3,286 
			 April 3,893 2,973 — 2,845 2,830 
			 May 3,647 2,820 — 3,248 3,259 
			 June 3,919 3,173 — 3,469 2,939 
			 July 4,092 3,077 — 3,281 3,295 
			 August 3,491 2,973 — 3,530 3,113 
			 September 3,909 3,428 — 3,604 2,997 
			 October 4,128 3,318 — 3,467 3,314 
			 November 3,686 3,146 — 3,607 3,103 
			 December 3,147 2,686 — 3,174 2,526 
			 All 44,773 37,003 — 39,391 36,646 
			 (1) Excludes police cells. (2) Data for 2010 is unavailable due to problems in the supply of data for statistical purposes—see Definitions and Measurements document for more details: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/192439/omsq-definitions.pdf Note: Untried and convicted unsentenced receptions cannot be combined to give total remand receptions as some individuals are counted under both types of remand reception.

Reoffenders

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many crimes were committed by those released from prison while on licence that were (a) low risk, (b) medium risk or (c) high risk in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: The figures cannot be provided. The information held centrally on prison discharges (which is used to identify those released on licence) does not currently include an assessment of risk.

Academies

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the answer of 14 May 2013, Official Report, column 122W, on academy brokers, if he will publish anonymised details of (a) the nature of the two partially upheld complaints and (b) the grounds on which they were upheld.

Edward Timpson: With reference to the answer provided on 14 May, the two complaints against Brokers that were partially upheld regarded matters of conduct constituting minor procedural infractions. In both cases the complainants fully accepted and were satisfied with the conclusions of investigations.
	Providing further information about the nature of the complaints, and the grounds on which they were partially upheld, would risk identifying individual cases and therefore jeopardise the confidentiality afforded to the complainant and subject, and be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs.

Children: Day Care

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what meetings he, Ministers and officials in his Department have had with representatives of the child care sector in each of the last 12 months.

Elizabeth Truss: As Minister for Education and Childcare, I meet representatives of the child care sector on a regular basis. A list of my meetings, concerning child care issues since appointment in September 2012, is included in Table 1.
	Prior to my appointment the hon. Member for Brent Central (Sarah Teather), also met representatives of the child care sector in her capacity as Minister of State for Children and Families. A list of her meetings is included in Table 2.
	In addition, Department for Education officials continue to have numerous meetings with representatives of the child care sector, as well as with others with an interest in early years and child care policy.
	
		
			 Table 1: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Elizabeth Truss 
			 Date of meeting Name of external organisation 
			 2012  
			 1 October My Family Care 
			 2 November 4 Children Roundtable: Children's Corner day Nursery First Class Childcare Best Family Childcare & Out of School Club Ducklings at St Margarets Pre-School Greenside Pre-school Rounders Out of School Club Ducklings Childcare Twinkles Nursery Kaleidoscope Nurseries Bright Beginnings ChildCare Centre Leeds Play at Churwell North Leeds Community Nursery Guiseley Infants Twinkles Nursery x2 Childminders 
			 15 November Mumsnet 
			 28 November Save Our Nurseries and Montessori Schools Association 
			 29 November 4 Children 
			 18 December Action for Children 
			 19 December Childcare roundtable with providers: 4 Children Busy Bees London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) Bright Horizons Kids Unlimited National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) 
			   
			 2013  
			 10 January Busy Bees Benefits 
			 10 January Kids Unlimited 
			 15 January Representatives from Childcare Voucher Providers: Sodexo Motivation Solutions Computershare Voucher Services Grass Roots Group Edenred 
			 16 January Netmums 
			 17 January Barnes Montessori Nursery 
			 17 January Happy Child 
			 18 January Kids Unlimited 
			 18 January Mumsnet 
			 22 January Busy Bees Benefits 
			 23 January National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) 
			 28 January Daycare Trust 
			 28 January Bright Horizons 
			 5 February Playaway Nursery 
			 5 February Kids Unlimited 
			 5 February National Day Nurseries Association.(NDNA) 
			 7 February Mumsnet webchat 
			 7 February Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA) 
			 12 February Women Like Us 
			 13 February 4 Children 
			 13 February Kids Unlimited 
			 14 February Childbase 
			 15 February Co-operative Childcare 
			 27 February National Children's Bureau (NCB) 
			 27 February The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) 
			 4 March Childminders roundtable: X8 Childminders 
			 5 March Action For Children 
			 5 March National Childminding Association (NCMA) 
			 5 March Busy Bees Benefits 
			 6 March Daycare Trust 
		
	
	
		
			 7 March Roundtable discussion: Kids Unlimited Bright Horizons Montessori Schools Association 
			 11 March Toadhall Nursery 
			 13 March Roundtable with various nurseries: Busy Bees Bright Horizons Asquith Nurseries Kids Unlimited Childbase Bertram Nursery Group Tree Tops The Co-operative Childcare Kids 1st Day Nurseries Childcare Corporation Happy Days Nurseries 
			 18 March Busy Bees Benefits 
			 19 March Working Families 
			 20 March My Family Care 
			 1 May 4Kids 
			 8 May Cognita Schools 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Minister of State, Sarah Teather MP 
			 Date of meeting Name of external Organisation 
			 2012  
			 16 May National Childminding Association (NCMA) 
			 21 May The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) 
			 30 May Early Years Provision Roundtable 
			 10 July 4 Children 
			 11 July Action for Children 
			 16 July Mumsnet 
			 31 July First Childcare Commission Roundtable: 4Children Bright Horizons Childminder ContinYou Daycare Trust DCS Family Matters Institute Fatherhood Institute Mumsnet National Childminding Association (NCMA) ARK Centre for Research in Early Childhood Single Parent Action Network Nursery Leader Working Families Women's Business Council (WBC) 
			 31 July Second Childcare Commission Roundtable: Office of the Children's Commissioner Save the Children Ginger Bread Family & Parenting Institute National Day Nurseries Association Pre-School Learning Alliance Netmums London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)

Free School Meals

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many school students in (a) England and (b) Harlow constituency are eligible for free school meals.

David Laws: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in Harlow constituency, Essex local authority and England is shown in the table.
	Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals as at January 2012 is published in the Statistical First Release 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2012'.(1)
	(1 )Available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2012
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, special schools and pupil referral units(1, 2, 3, 4, )number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, )(6, 7, )January 2012, Harlow constituency, Essex local authority and England 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1, 2) State-funded secondary schools(1, 3) Special schools(4) 
			  Number on roll(5, 6) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, 6) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(5, 6) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, 6) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(5, 6) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, 6) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 England 3,947,650 760,910 19.3 2,809,815 449,485 16.0 80,505 30,170 37.5 
			 Essex local authority 103,739 14,272 13.8 76,322 8,424 11.0 1,797 481 26.8 
			 Harlow constituency 7,648 1,393 18.2 4,800 755 15.7 52 16 30.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units Total(7) 
			  Number on roll(5, 6) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, 6) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(5, 6) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5, 6) Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 England 13,235 4,855 36.7 6,851,205 1,245,420 18.2 
			 Essex local authority 234 43 18.4 182,090 23,220 12.8 
		
	
	
		
			 Harlow constituency 40 4 10.0 12,540 2,170 17.3 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools. (4) Includes maintained special schools, special academies and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. (5) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. In pupil referral units includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (6 )Pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part time attendance and are aged between 5 and 15. (7) Includes maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, special schools, and pupil referral units. Excludes pupils in alternative provision as full and part-time status is not collected. Note: National and total numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: School Census.

Regulation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by his Department since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were;
	(2)  what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended.

Elizabeth Truss: Since 1 January 2011 the department has published a “Statement of New Regulation” every six months. Each statement of new regulation sets out the cost of new regulations that are due to come into force to private businesses and civil society organisations. Table 1 as follows sets out the Department's regulations that have been included within these statements. Of the 13 regulations included on the Department's statements of new regulation, 11 have been net beneficial, and two have been broadly neutral.
	From 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012, the Department reduced costs to the business sector by £11.11 million a year. From 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2013, the department reduced costs to the business sector by a further £2.6 million a year.
	
		
			 Table 1: Compiled information from Department for Education statements of new regulation 
			 Title of regulation Date in-force ‘One in, one out’/’one in, two out’ classification Equivalent annual net cost to business (£ million) 
			 Education (Independent Educational Provision in England) (Provision of Information) Regulations 2010 January 2011 Out -0.07 
			 Child care (Inspections) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2012 August 2012 Out -0.20 
			 Revised statutory guidance Free Early Years Education for Three- and Four-Year Olds September 2012 Out -0.50 
		
	
	
		
			 Early Years Foundation Stage (Learning and Development Requirements) (Amendment) Order 2012 September 2012 Out -10.00 
			 Early Years Foundation Stage (Welfare Requirements) Regulations 2012 September 2012 Out -0.30 
			 Childcare (Early Years Register) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 September 2012 Out -0.03 
			 Equality Act 2010 (Commencement No. 10) Order 2012 September 2012 Zero Net 0.00 
			 Childcare (General Childcare Register) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 September 2012 Out -0.00 
			 Early Years Foundation Stage (Exemptions from Learning and Development Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 October 2012 Out -0.01 
			 Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment). Regulations 2012 January 2013 Out -0.29 
			 Education (Information About Individual Pupils) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 January 2013 Zero Net 0.00 
			 Revised statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children April 2013 Out -2.31 
			 Residential Family Centres (Amendment) Regulations 2013 April 2013 Out -0.00

Sign Language

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will add British Sign Language to the list of prescribed languages of study at maintained schools.

Elizabeth Truss: While we recognise the importance of British Sign Language, the Government has no plans to add it to the list of languages that will meet the statutory requirement to teach a foreign language at key stage 2 from September 2014. We believe it is important that all pupils have the opportunity to learn one of the languages on the proposed list, for the reasons set out in the report of our consultation on this matter(1).
	Schools will remain free to offer British Sign Language in addition to one of the seven languages from the prescribed list, should they wish to do so.
	(1 )This is available at:
	www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014/a00221243/ks2-languages-consultation-report

Sign Language

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to ensure that there are no restrictions to allowing deaf and hearing impaired young people in maintained secondary schools to study British Sign Language at GCSE level.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department does not place restrictions on deaf and hearing impaired young people studying for a GCSE. We recognise that there is currently no GCSE qualification offered by examination bodies in British Sign Language (BSL) but there is a range of vocational-related BSL and other signing media qualifications up to degree level.
	The Department is aware that Signature is developing a GCSE qualification in BSL. They are in discussion with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) to ensure that any GCSE is of the right quality and reflects the richness of BSL as a language.

Special Educational Needs

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the report Future of AAC Services in England: A framework for equitable and effective commissioning.

Edward Timpson: The Government is taking account of the report, “The Future of AAC Services in England: A framework for equitable and effective commissioning”, in establishing arrangements for the commissioning of highly specialised alternative and augmentative communication services (ACC) by the National Health Service Commissioning Board. It provides useful recommendations for the AAC sector to consider when developing services in the future.

Teachers: Pay

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions in 2013 (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) departmental officials have met representatives of teaching organisations and trade unions to discuss the 2013 School Teachers' Pay and Conditions document.

David Laws: Our records show the Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has met representatives from trade unions on five separate occasions where teachers' pay—although not necessarily the 2013 School Teachers' Pay and Conditions document (STPCD)—was discussed. Ministers within the Department met trade union representatives on two occasions where teachers' pay was discussed. The Secretary of State and Ministers have met representatives from trade unions on numerous other occasions for general discussions, during which teachers' pay may have been raised.
	During 2013, as part of the consultation on the 2013 STPCD, officials from the Department met statutory consultees of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), who include representatives of teaching organisations and trade unions, on nine occasions. Since publication of the document six meetings have been held with statutory consultees about implementation of the 2013 STPCD.

Teachers: Pensions

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions in 2013 (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) departmental officials have met representatives of teaching organisations and trade unions to discuss the Teachers' Pension Scheme.

David Laws: In 2013 the Secretary of State has had one meeting with a union general secretary at which the teachers' pensions scheme (TPS) was discussed. A further five meetings with unions and teaching organisations have also taken place during this period where issues related to TPS may have been discussed but were not specifically tabled for discussion.
	I have met trade union representatives on five occasions, none specifically to discuss TPS.
	During this period officials have had a total of 13 meetings with trade unions at which the TPS was discussed. This has included seven meetings with union officials to discuss the detailed implementation of the reformed TPS.